Curtain Down at Her Majesty's: The Death of Queen Victoria in the Words of Those Who Were There

By Stewart Richards

'Her Majesty the Queen breathed her last at 6.30 p.m., surrounded by her children and grand-children.' With this notice, pinned to the entrance gate of Osborne House, Queen Victoria's doctors announced the death of the most powerful woman in the world, who had sat on her throne and ruled through more than six decades. Her rule had seen her kingdom spread to become the world's biggest empire, had seen massive change in society and leaps forward in technology. It is little surprise that the death of one who had ruled for all of many people's lives created chaos, shock and mass outpourings of grief across the country. Here author and researcher Stewart Richards has delved through the archives to put together the definitive view of Victoria in her final days, through the immediate reaction and aftermath of her death, to the state funeral of 2 February 1901. Based entirely on fascinating first-hand accounts, The Death of Queen Victoria offers a truly unique insight into the events of that tumultuous few days and is a volume that no enthusiast should be without.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Jan 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9780750991018

Stewart Richards

STEWART RICHARDS has worked extensively in the media as a film producer and television executive, as well as producing drama programmes for BBC Radio 4. He established the audiobook publisher Mr Punch Audio and has previously written The Great Train Robbery (2013). He is married, has four children and lives in Oxford.

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died.

1–21 JANUARY 1901

TUESDAY, 1 JANUARY

The Times

The Twentieth Century begins.

OSBORNE HOUSE

Queen Victoria

Another year begun, I am feeling so weak & unwell, that I enter upon it sadly.

WEDNESDAY, 2 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Rather a better night, but slept on late into the morning, which is so provoking.

I managed to get out for ½ an hour with Lenchen & went to look at the arch which has been put in honour of Lord Roberts.1 Drove in the afternoon with Louie2 & Mary H,3 getting home just in time before Lord Roberts arrived.

On Lord Roberts arrival here, I received him most warmly shaking hands with him, & he knelt down & kissed my hand.

Lord Roberts spoke with such grief of dear Christle’s death & said he could not say how deeply he mourned him, & how he felt for all of us.4 It had been such a shock, as he had not had the slightest idea there was any danger, during Christle’s whole illness, he had looked so well & been so cheerful.

I then gave Lord Roberts the Garter, which quite overcame him & he said it was too much. I also told him I was going to confer an Earldom on him, with the remainder to his daughter.

I felt a little tired, so rested & slept for a while.

THURSDAY, 3 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a rather better night, though some broken sleep & was not up & dressed till 12. Signed some things & then went out in the garden chair.

Saw Sir A. Bigge5 about some War Office affairs. Had not much appetite. At ½ p.3 took a short drive with Lenchen & Ismay S.6

FRIDAY, 4 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a better night & took less draught, but still unfortunately, I slept longer than I wished.

In the afternoon drove with Harriet P. & Evelyn Moore.7 A fine afternoon, but rather hazy. From not having been well, I see so badly, which is very tiresome.

Had a telegram from Ld Kitchener,8 which was satisfactory. Spent rather an uncomfortable afternoon & felt so weary & tired. Ismay S. read to me after my supper, & Beatrice came later & played to me a little on the piano.

Sir James Reid

To Marie Mallet

Dear Mrs. Mallet,

Just a line to tell you that the Queen is now much better. She has continued to improve ever since she consented to be treated as an invalid; and she now causes me no present anxiety. How far she may still improve it is impossible to say at her age: but I hope she may continue her invalid habits for some time longer, and so give herself every chance.

I have had rather an anxious time and have been very closely tied: so H.M. is to give me a little chance of air and exercise, and Sir F. Laking9 is coming here for a week or so.

Susan10 is in bed with a feverish chill and rheumatism but otherwise she is all right. I have been very little with her since she came, so I am longing for Sir F. Laking’s arrival!

SATURDAY, 5 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a bad & much disturbed night. Felt very exhausted. Beatrice went out with me for a short while late in the morning & in the afternoon I drove with Lenchen & Ismay S. to Newport & back. It was very fine, but cold. I was very drowsy, when I came home.

SUNDAY, 6 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

An improved night, though I wake often. Lenchen came & read letters to me after I got up. The accounts of dear Vicky are not at all satisfactory, which make me so sad.

It blew so hard & was so cold, that I did not go out in the morning. At 3 drove in a closed carriage with Lenchen & Beatrice.

Had my supper of Benger’s food,11 which is very soothing & nourishing. Saw Sir Francis Laking, who is here to relieve Sir James Reid a little.

Lady Susan Reid

To her sister-in-law, Mary Reid

Laking’s visit at Osborne is a great fraud! and does not relieve Jamie of any of his work! and all our beautiful hopes of a rest and Jamie living at May Cottage [while Laking was at Osborne] have been dashed to the ground. The Queen will not see him! at least not about her health, and she can hardly bear Jamie out of her sight!

She is no worse, but has ups and downs and gets very easily over tired, and when so, she gets into a nervous depressed hopeless state. However, she sleeps and eats well and Jamie says that is all one can expect just now, but her family and Miss Phipps will insist (in spite of Jamie’s opinion!!) on thinking her much better than she is and it is all he can do to prevent them overtiring her, by too much talking.

The only difference Laking’s visit has made is that Jamie was able to dine here twice. Last night he was to do so again but the Queen was in a nervous mood, so he gave it up, and she was so pleased and so grateful!! She does depend on him entirely now, and happily he is very well. I am quite pleased with his looks, and he is able to sleep well, now he is not disturbed at night. As things are at present Jamie thinks it is out of the question that the Queen should go abroad, and all the men of the Household are of that opinion. However, the family and Miss Phipps are still in favour of it, but I think gradually they will see for themselves that it is impossible.

MONDAY, 7 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a much better night, but still slept on late. A very cold day with a very high wind. Took a short drive in a closed carriage, at 2.30. Dictated some letters to Lenchen.

TUESDAY, 8 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a restless night & woke very often. The ground was white with snow when I got up & it snowed off & on the whole morning. Got out in a closed carriage for a short while with Harriet P. I was so drowsy that I slept for 2 hours from 6 o’clock. Lenchen & Beatrice came up after their dinner.

WEDNESDAY, 9 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

A bad night, & got up late. Did not go out till the afternoon, when I drove with Harriet P. It was fine & mild & all the snow disappearing fast.

Had some food & rested. Harriet P. read to me & later I dictated to Lenchen & then she & Beatrice wished me good night.

THURSDAY, 10 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Rather a better night, but I slept on late. Only got out for a short time in the morning, & in the afternoon drove with Lenchen & Beatrice to Newport & back.

Rested when I came in, & had some food, then saw Mr Chamberlain12 for a little while. A good telegram from Ld Kitchener.

FRIDAY, 11 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

A better night, but felt very tired. Out in the garden chair after 1, Lenchen, Beatrice walking with me. Very fine & like spring. Went as far as Barton & back.

Felt so weary that I did not go out again in the afternoon, but slept for more than 2 hours. Afterwards Lenchen & Beatrice played duets to me, very pretty things, the ‘Gondoliers’, Gounod’s Ballet music from ‘Faust’, &c. Then dictated some letters. Harriet read to me after my supper, & then Lenchen & Beatrice came up to say good night.

SATURDAY, 12 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a good night & could take some breakfast better. There was a dense fog & no ships could cross.

Took an hour’s drive at ½ p. 2 with Lenchen. It was very foggy, but the air was pleasant. Had some food when I came in & rested. Afterwards little Leopold13 played charmingly on the violin. Took a ‘lait de poule’, then signed & dictated to Lenchen. Harriet read to me after my supper & Lenchen & Beatrice came up afterwards.

SUNDAY, 13 JANUARY

Queen Victoria

Had a fair night, but was a little wakeful. Got up earlier & had some milk. Lenchen came & read some papers. Out before 1, in the garden chair, Lenchen & Beatrice going with me.

Rested a little, had some food, & took a short drive with Lenchen & Beatrice.

Rested when I came in & at 5.30, went down to the Drawingroom, where a short service was held, it was a great comfort to me. Rested again afterwards, then did some signing & dictated to Lenchen.

This was the Queen’s final entry in the journal she had kept for more than sixty-nine years.

MONDAY, 14 JANUARY

Court Circular

Field-Marshal Earl Roberts, K.G., Commander-in-Chief, arrived at Osborne, and had an audience of Her Majesty before dinner.

Randall Davidson, Bishop of Winchester

A favourite of the Queen. An enormously influential cleric described by the Queen as ‘… singularly pleasing both in appearance and manner, very sympathetic and evidently very intelligent’. Not a view shared by all. He married Edith, daughter of Archibald Tait, the former Archbishop of Canterbury – a position he was to fill himself in 1903.

When she saw Lord Roberts the Princesses told her she must not have too long & fatiguing a talk & that they send & interrupt by a message after twenty minutes.

She answered ‘Do nothing of the kind. I have a great deal to say to him which I must say & a great deal to hear from him. I shall want plenty of time.’ And she did have quite a long interview & was not a bit sleepy or